Just Passing Time Remake
by Nqqqqwb
Summary: Kurama lies through his teeth to try and play a different game. Naruto sees right through it, but decides to play along anyway. Rated T for swearing. REMAKE of Just Passing Time. Genfic.
1. Prologue

I stare diligently at the gigantic nine-tailed fox directly in front of me. It stares right back, seemingly undeterred by my intense staring, although I could detect a hint of amusement inside the large, red, slitted eyes.

The first time I had met this giant fox's acquaintance, I had fainted and immediately been shoved out. The second time was a while later. I had to learn to meditate and, since I was (and still am) a very active and enthusiastic person, it was a bit difficult. That whole night had been spent shouting at the fox while it looked on, not saying a word, looking almost proud of the agony it had caused.

This third time, I wanted to approach things differently. Show it that it was not the one handing out the orders, that it was not me who was stuck behind the bars that held it but itself. Show it that I did not fear it.

I open my mouth to say something but instead hear the booming voice of a dangerous demon, "I'm sorry."

A few seconds past and my diligent stare transforms into one of shock and confusion, "...what?"

"I'm sorry." it said again, yet there was nothing sincere about it, "I'm sorry for all the pain I have caused you. It was not my intention and I never wanted this either."

I contemplate this for a minute. There wasn't a hint of apologetic feelings in either the booming voice or the giant eyes, but who had I never given a second chance, who had I never forgiven? I had forgiven the villagers for their uncalled for hate, spitefulness and general animosity. If I could do that, who could I, honestly, never give a second chance?

"You are a bad actor, fox." I started, and I saw it become nervous, "I can see your real feelings right in your eyes. But if you've watched all these years – I think you can do that – than you would know that I forgive everyone. I am willing to give you a second chance." I turn away from the surprised face of the Nine-Tails, "Don't waste it." and I walk into the darkness and out of the depths of my mind, feeling good about myself and finding my exit cool as Hell to top it off.

X-X-X-X-X-X

I stare after the blonde eight-year old, confused as to what to do next. The human had obviously forgiven me, but why? Why, if he could sense my lies easily, would he forgive me this effortlessly? Did every human do this? I snort to myself. No, they do not, if the cold eyes of the other humans in that pitiful village were any indication.

Than what made Naruto Uzumaki so special? I had even seen a small similarity to father! I just don't understand! How could I, who caused everything bad in the boy's life, be forgiven so easily?! It made me agitated and frustrated that I could not figure out this enigma. Why do I suddenly begin feeling bad about the things I have done? Why do I suddenly regret my choices in my immortal life?

Why do I feel this bright, fuzzy feeling inside of my chakra-constructed body, and why do I keep thinking of his kind words?


	2. Chapter 1

The next time I hear from what I had aptly named my "soul buddy", it had been a month and two weeks. I had just begun to doubt my choice of words, and thought maybe it was angry at me.

It was late at night when I was pulled back into my subconscious and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe the demon had some semblance of appreciation for my daily schedule. After the strange feeling of being sucked into somewhere was over, I opened my eyes and again saw a gigantic fox.

"What is it, Nine-Tails?" I said, feeling a little bit annoyed despite my best efforts to be civilized and friendly.

It didn't answer, instead staring at me with a calculating look in its eyes. I begun getting a little uncomfortable under its intense gaze and, before I could stop myself, I was rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

I saw it raise an eyebrow at the gesture and I swore to whatever God may be out there that I detected a hint of nostalgia reflected in it's eyes.

"I am bored, boy." It suddenly spoke, sounding more honest than I had ever hear it sound (admittedly, I have only heard it once in my life), "I am bored of destroying things. I am bored of being seen as an "evil demon". I am sick of it all." I raise an eyebrow at the words and, more importantly, the sincere exhaustion that were behind them, "This is why I had made a plan. It would be a complete turn-around of my personality and everything that I have done so far. I was going to help someone, and that someone would be you."

I scowl in thought. The demon had said this as if it was in the past, as if that plan had been thrown out the window due to certain circumstances and situations.

It confirmed my suspicions with a few choice words: "That changed when I saw you the third time. You spoke to me, said that I had been forgiven for my indirect and admittedly direct part in the destruction of your happiness. I could not figure out why you would be so kind to me, so forgiving, while the rest of your species would never do such a thing."

I tilt my head in confusion. I had not been kind in any stretch of the imagination. I had merely said that I was willing to give it a second chance. I suddenly come to the startling realization that the demon had probably never heard any kind words directed at itself, and I begun to sympathize with it. It was too close to home for comfort.

"I contemplated several options. Deception was the most prominent. But now that I see you again and now that I see you trying as best you could to be kind to me despite your underlying dislike... deception is the last thing on my mind. Once, I wanted to destroy you. Then, I wanted to deceive you. Now... now I just want to help you."

The following moments would be forever stuck in my mind as the riskiest moments of my life. I hold out a hand for a fist-bump and it, although a little bit confused, complied.

I then try to remove the seal.

A hand suddenly grabs mine and I am back on the ground in an instant. I look up in confusion and see a blonde man look back at me with a stern gaze.

"Naruto. Do not let it deceive you."

I recognize the individual as my idol immediately. The Fourth Hokage looks back at the Nine-Tails before looking at me again, this time with a much softer look.

I suddenly become angry. Not because the Fourth had sealed the demon inside of me and effectively destroyed my life, but because it had stopped me from breaking the seal.

"It it not deceiving me, Fourth." I say, scowling at the man, "I trust it- no, him. I'd trust him with my life and beyond. And if you dare take away my freedom to choose whom I trust..." I gain a dark look, "I will never forgive you."

I see him recoil in surprise, "Son, it-"

I tilt my head in immense confusion, "Son?" I ask, feeling my anger getting at its peak, "Son?! You mean to say that I'm your _son_?!"

I hear the Nine-Tails growl behind me. I am too focused on the man that is apparently my father to hear whether or not he is defending me or trying to attack the Fourth for stopping him from breaking free, but I care little regardless.

The man sighs and motions for me to sit down as he plops himself on the water-filled ground, not caring about getting wet.

"Yes, son, I am your father. At the night of the Nine-Tails attack, your mother was also in labor. It was supposed to go effortlessly and me and your mother would be the happiest people on earth." he sighs heavily, depression sinking itself in, "Then a masked man infiltrated."

A masked man? This was not in the history books.

"I do not know the identity of the masked man, but he was very strong. He lured me away from your mother and released the Nine-Tails inside of her." I look at him, shocked beyond belief that my mother was the Jinchuriki before me, "He controlled the Nine-Tails with his Sharingan and ordered it to attack the village. I fought the man with all I had, and he was strong, but eventually I mortally wounded him and cut off his connecion to the fox. Yet it still kept up its assault on the village."

I think for a split second before voicing my own opinion, "He was probably confused and very happy at the fact that he was free, so he would do everything to stop getting stuck in a cage again."

The Fourth looks at me for a second, thinking about what I had said, before reaching the conclusion that I was probably right. He voiced this before saying that "the rest is history."

There were a few minutes of silence before my father quietly asks: "Do you hate me?"

I was about to say yes, but I see his depression and his hopelessness and think. I come to the realization that he probably had no choice, "I would if you'd stop me from breaking the seal."

Both fox and man stare at me surprised, for different reasons. I look at the Nine-Tails in confusion. The Fourth I understand, but why would the fox be surprised? I was sure he'd know of my nature by now.

I looked back at the Fourth- no, my father, and see him with a thoughtful expression. He suddenly smiles brightly at me, "Go ahead, son. I need to realize that I am regrettably no longer in this world and that I should let the next generation make their own choices. But I want to stay here and watch. If worse comes to worse, I can always renew the seal."

I understand he doesn't trust the Nine-Tails and nod quietly, before moving towards the seal. I hold my breath in anticipation and anxiety.

And then I rip the paper off.


	3. Chapter 2

**Four side notes:**

**1. For the sake of this story, the key was not required. I needed to establish a friendship quickly and I think that would work better without the seal.**

**2. I find myself doubting if I should've kept the jumpsuit or no. Please tell me what you think.**

**3. Naruto and Kurama's friendship is moving quite fast. This is intentional. Please remember that Kurama has had a month's time to think about befriending Naruto and that they have talked for a couple hours before.**

**4. Minato. Minato and Kurama, specifically. I think that Minato is a very accepting and forgiving person and, if he gets time to know Kurama and reason to trust him, that they would get along just fine.**

I wake up with a start. I breath in and out, trying in vain to calm my excited state. I look around, seeing my room and realize something, "Was it all... just a dream...?" I voice, disappointed.

I sigh heavily. After I had ripped off the paper in the apparent dream, nothing had happened. The Nine-Tails had not tried to attack me, or the Fourth for that matter, and had sat there, grinning at the confused and shocked look on the Fourth's face that grew over the time that the fox didn't attack.

I had sat back down, joining the fox in grinning at the Fourth. The Nine-Tails had then introduced himself to us, calling himself Kurama.

The Fourth had looked at Kurama for a while, too shocked to speak, before he laughed heartily. He threw his head back and laughed and laughed. Kurama, in mock annoyance, had called the Fourth a "crazy human", but with a smile on his face.

The Fourth had then introduced himself to Kurama and I as Minato Namikaze.

We had talked for a while before Minato had said that his time was up. His chakra was fading and he said a teary goodbye to me and, surprisingly, to Kurama as well. Kurama and I talked for a while afterward, Kurama mostly talking to me about the loss of my father and, later, about training me to use his chakra.

I had said goodbye to Kurama since I noticed it was almost five in the morning outside and had walked out of my mind.

'Naruto.'

I jump, frightened. Looking around me proved futile as I saw nobody and nothing besides the empty room that is mine. After a few seconds of looking around myself frantically I relax and ignore the voice, writing it off as a whisper of the wind.

'Naruto!'

The voice was louder this time, and somehow it seemed to come out of my own head. I ignore it again, but found it to be more difficult.

'God damn it Naruto, I am _not_ the damn wind!'

"Kurama?" I say, looking around again but, realizing how ridiculous that is since Kurama is a gigantic damn fox and couldn't fit inside my house regardless of what happened, I cease doing so.

'Yes, it's me. Removing the seal allowed a mental link to be opened, and we can now talk directly from mind to mind.'

'I am not looking forward to puberty.' I think back immediately, shuddering.

I could practically feel Kurama blinking in confusion, 'What the fuck is puberty?' he demanded.

'Never mind.'

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I walk to Academy in an excited state of mind. Not because I was going to the Academy, no that would be the direct opposite of what I want. Instead, it was because I had recently seen the most awesome article of clothing ever and I was going to buy it after the Academy.

'Ah, the orange jumpsuit.' I sigh happily, although before I could begin to imagine myself in the obviously awesome jumpsuit I get interrupted by my good friend Kurama.

'Kid, if you dare ever wear something as... just plain ol' disgusting as an orange jumpsuit, I _will_ eat your face.'

Okay, maybe not so good friend Kurama, 'Hey! That "plain ol' disgusting" orange jumpsuit happens to be _the_ best thing _ever_!' I think back, sending an image of the orange jumpsuit to the demon.

I hear Kurama blanching, 'Never mind eating your face.' I smirk in triumph at the victory, 'I'll eat your soul if you ever wear something even remotely similar to that.'

Not wanting to call the beast's bluff, I reluctantly resign myself to a life without the most awesome article of clothing ever.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I find myself getting bored at the kid's life, but certainly not at the kid himself. Naruto Uzu- no, Namikaze is a very interesting individual that keeps my attention through thick and thin.

I come to the startling realization that I am having _fun_ just talking to the kid. Easily as much fun as destroying things, if not more. I wonder silently how much more fun it will become when Naruto becomes a Ninja.

'Don't ever change, boy.' I say, and I smirk at his confusion.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I sit at class, smiling brightly. The other children look at me in confusion, but I ignore them. I'm not paying attention to Iruka's drawling lecture, instead I listen to Kurama's point of view on history.

'I was barely aware of what was happening in the fight against Hashirama, since Madara was controlling me. However, I do recall the Senju using loads of Wood Release Jutsu.' Kurama says as Iruka asks me what Techniques Hashirama uses, probably in some sort of effort to get me to pay attention.

"Wood Release." I say, and I smirk at the completely stunned looks of the class. I look so smart!

'No,' Kurama says dryly, 'you're just an idiot and everyone is stunned that you suddenly have a half-decent mind.'

'HEY!'

Kurama laughs and I find myself smiling as well. It's gonna be a good couple of years.


End file.
